Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing, treating and diagnosing cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a cancer stem cell profile, as well as novel stem cell cancer markers useful for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of cancer and in particular the targeting of solid tumor stem cells.

Abstract: The devices and systems described herein include one or more fluid paths, e.g., channels, and one or more selectively permeable obstacles arranged in the fluid path(s), each including a plurality of aligned nanostructures, e.g., nanotubes or nanorods, defining an outer surface of the obstacle and an internal network of voids. The obstacle(s) can further include binding moieties applied to the outer surface and/or to the surfaces of the individual nanostructures within the obstacle(s). The devices can be manufactured by forming the dense groupings of nanostructures to extend outwards and upwards from a substrate; forming a fluidic channel, bonding the fluidic channel to the substrate; and optionally applying binding moieties to the obstacles. The devices can be used to manipulate cells within fluid samples.

Abstract: Method, systems, and apparatus for a method of processing a payment transaction using a mobile device of a merchant. In one aspect, determining the mobile device does not have a connection to an external network; receiving data indicating a payment transaction between a customer and the merchant; determining whether the payment transaction should be stored, where the determining is based on a risk heuristic model that considers one or more of the following: a number of already stored transactions, a value of the payment transaction, a total value, where the total value is a sum of the value of the payment transaction and values of one or more already stored transactions, and risk factors associated with the customer; and based at least on the determination, storing the payment transaction on the mobile device for future processing.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and devices to count particles of interest, such as cells. The methods include obtaining a fluid sample that may contain particles of interest; counting all types of particles in a portion of the sample using a first electrical differential counter to generate a first total; removing any particles of interest from the portion of the fluid sample; counting any particles remaining in the portion of the fluid sample using a second electrical differential counter after the particles of interest are removed to generate a second total; and calculating a number of particles of interest originally in the fluid sample by subtracting the second total from the first total, wherein the difference is the number of particles of interest in the sample. These methods and related devices can be used, for example, to produce a robust, inexpensive diagnostic kit for CD4+ T cell counting in whole blood samples.

Abstract: Information regarding a redemption code may include at least one parameter associated with certain redeemable content. Requests may be received from a user. The request may concern access to redeemable content associated with a redemption code. The applicability of parameters is determined as is the redeemable content associated with the identified parameter. The user may then be granted access to the identified redeemable content. The determination of applicable parameters may include identifying an associated modification and applying the modification to the redemption code in order to identify the redeemable content.

Abstract: Information regarding a redemption code may include at least one parameter associated with certain redeemable content. Requests may be received from a user. The request may concern access to redeemable content associated with a redemption code. The applicability of parameters is determined as is the redeemable content associated with the identified parameter. The user may then be granted access to the identified redeemable content. The determination of applicable parameters may include identifying an associated modification and applying the modification to the redemption code in order to identify the redeemable content.

Abstract: Information regarding a user may be indicative of membership in a group. Such information may be maintained for every user associated with a particular system or title. In instances, redeemable content may be offered exclusively to a group. Requests for such content may therefore be received and evaluated to determine whether the requesting user is a member of the particular group. The determination includes an evaluation of information associated with the requesting user. In some instances, the information associated with the requesting user is a user identifier that is indicative of the group membership, and the user identifier may be included in the request. If the user is indeed determined to be a member of the group, access to the redeemable content is granted. Alternatively, if the user is not determined to be a member of the group, access to the redeemable content is denied.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can implement a flexible I/O fence mechanism framework allowing clustered computer systems to conveniently use one or more I/O fencing techniques. Various different fencing techniques can be used, and fencing mechanism can be customized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing, treating and diagnosing cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a cancer stem cell profile, as well as novel stem cell cancer markers useful for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of cancer and in particular the targeting of solid tumor stem cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing, treating and diagnosing cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a cancer stem cell profile, as well as novel stem cell cancer markers useful for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of cancer and in particular the targeting of solid tumor stem cells.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can implement a flexible I/O fence mechanism framework allowing clustered computer systems to conveniently use one or more I/O fencing techniques. Various different fencing techniques can be used, and fencing mechanism can be customized.

Abstract: A global payment system supports real time payments by a first party to a second party via an electronic interface using any of a plurality of input devices. First party identifying information and information relating to the requested transaction desired by the first party is entered into the system via the selected input device for accessing the payment system. The information is verified and the funds are transferred to a dedicated account for a second party per the instructions received from the first party. The global payment system is a financial transaction system permitting the identified first party to use any of a variety of payment options to complete the transaction without requiring the second party to pre-approve the method of payment. The system is compatible with known ATM/POS debit/credit card formats or other electronic input terminal devices, including either a second party controlled device, or a first party controlled device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing, treating and diagnosing cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a cancer stem cell profile, as well as novel stem cell cancer markers useful for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of cancer and in particular the targeting of solid tumor stem cells.

Abstract: A dark field surface inspection tool and system are disclosed herein. The tool includes an illumination source capable of scanning a light beam onto an inspection surface. Light scattered by each inspection point is captured as image data by a photo detector array arranged at a fourier plane. The images captured are adaptively filtered to remove a portion of the bright pixels from the images to generate filtered images. The filtered images are then analyzed to detect defects in the inspection surface. Methods of the invention include using die-to-die comparison to identify bright portions of scattering patterns and generate unique image filters associated with those patterns. The associated images are then filtered to generate filtered images which are then used to detect defects. Also, data models of light scattering behavior can be used to generate filters.

Abstract: Compounds and related methods for synthesis, and the use of compounds in therapy for the treatment of cancer and selective induction of apoptosis in cells are disclosed. Compounds are disclosed in connection with modification of procaspases such as procaspase-3, and particular embodiments are capable of direct activation of procaspase-3 and procaspase-7 to the effector forms of caspase-3 and caspase-7. Procaspase-3 levels can vary among cancer cell types; several types have relatively high levels and can have increased susceptibility to chemotherapy by compounds and methods herein. Therapeutic applications are relevant for a variety of cancer conditions and cell types, e.g. breast, lung, brain, colon, renal, adrenal, melanoma, and others.

Abstract: A payment system that does not rely on credit or debit cards, does not require the merchant and purchaser to have compatible memberships to complete a transaction, and does not limit single transactions to a single account provides a wide range of flexibility permitting debit, credit, pre-paid and payroll cards to be accommodated in a seamless and invisible manner to the electronic transaction network. The transaction may be verified and approved at the point-of-sale whether or not the merchant is a member of a specific financial transaction system. Specifically, the point-of-sale transaction system permits an identified customer to use any of a variety of payment options to complete the transaction without requiring the merchant to pre-approve the type of payment selected by the customer. In one configuration, and in order to take advantage of the widespread use of the ATM/POS network, the invention uses a typical credit/debit card format to provide the identifying information in a stored value card.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intein-mediated method of attaching a ligand to a protein for immobilization onto a support functionalized with an affinity receptor. In one embodiment, the ligand is biotin and the affinity receptor is avidin. Biotin is attached to the protein by reacting cysteine-biotin with a fusion protein comprising a cleavable intein and a protein of interest to effect cleavage of the cystein and attachment of biotin to the protein. The present invention further provides a novel protein array and a high throughput method of preparing protein arrays by expressing the protein of interest as an intein fusion protein including a binding domain for purification, attaching a ligand to the fusion protein under condition suitable for cleavage of the intein and attachment of the ligand to the remaining protein and immobilizing the resulting protein-ligand onto a support that has been functionalized with an affinity receptor.